Aussie Olympic medallist Matthew Richardson comes clean on defection to Great Britain

Three-time Olympic medallist Matthew Richardson has spoken out after he turned his back on Australia weeks after the Olympics finished.

Matthew Richardson with his Olympic silver medal. Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

Three-time Olympic medal-winning cyclist Matthew Richardson has opened up on his shock defection from Australia to Great Britain, saying he considers Britain “home”.

The 25-year-old Richardson dropped a bombshell on Australia when the news broke on Monday night, a fortnight after the Paris Olympics where he won two silver medals in Keirin and Sprint events and a bronze in the Team Sprint for the green and gold.

But Richardson turned his back on Australia to race for his birth nation instead after being born in Maidstone, England but moved to Australia at the age of nine, where he began cycling in his early teens in Warwick in the north of Perth, Western Australia.

He’s maintained a dual citizenship with both Australian and British passports.

And the defection is something he’s been considering for some time, having toyed with the idea ever since he first wore Australian colours at the World Junior Championships in 2017.

“I looked over at the GB people and thought, ‘I could have been there’. And I thought, ‘hmm, this feels quite strange’,” he told Eurosport’s The Gruppetto show.

“I never hesitated once when racing for Australia at any competition in the last seven years, but that was the first thought of what could possibly be if I hadn’t moved to Australia and I was racing for GB.

“Anything else that comes with it is a bonus.

“I’ve been in the sport long enough to understand that equipment makes a difference, possible race opportunities in Europe make a difference. But the underlying thing was it was just my dream. The main thing is that I’m chasing a dream.”

Matthew Richardson has farewelled Australia. Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images

The news of Richardson’s defection has gone down like a lead balloon in Australia with Australian legend and former Olympic cyclist Scott McGrory telling Nine’s Today Show that the cycling community was “shocked” by the news.

“We are feeling very flat and quite deflated at the moment.”

But it was far from spur of the moment either as Richardson told the ABC that he knew the Olympics would be his last meet representing Australia but kept it secret.

“I had a moment when I was walking up the stairs for the Keiren final, very last race I knew I was racing for Australia, and I just wanted to give it my absolute best and really bring home another medal for Australia,” Richardson said.

“It was an interesting preparation for the Olympics knowing what was to come afterwards, but that didn’t distract me, that didn’t take away from any effort I put into training.

“I was quite nervous after the Olympics having to sit down and have those hard conversations with coaches and staff I have strong close relationships with and it was never going to be easy, but it was OK.

“I didn’t tell any of the athletes or any of the staff pre-Games, purely because this is something I needed to deal with and I didn’t want to put that burden on anyone and distract from anyone’s Olympic prep.

“The Olympic Games is a stressful period enough let alone me adding a little bit of spice to the mix with this information.”

Richardson with Matthew Glaetzer after earning medals in the Keirin. Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

Richardson has told British media that selection for the Olympics was the reason behind keeping the move secret.

It’s also led to AusCycling reportedly pushing for a two-year ban for Richardson.

Due to the UCI rules according to Cycling Weekly, Richardson is not eligible to compete in the 2024 World Championships in October or the 2025 European Championships in February.

But Australia’s peak cycling body are looking into pushing for the global cycling body the UCI to enforce a two-year ban “as per UCI regulations,” an AusCycling spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Richardson said that he believed the regulations meant he just couldn’t compete at the World and European Championships.

Despite AusCycling’s move, Richardson says he doesn’t hold any animosity towards Australia.

“I have no harsh words or bitterness towards them,” he told Eurosport.

“They supported me for my whole cycling career up until now and I really did give my best for them and brought home as many medals as possible, so I just hope they understand my decision and can appreciate everything I did for them as well.”

He added: “Whenever I fly back into the UK, whether it’s for racing or visiting family, I would come in and admittedly see rain and the cloud and the grey, but think ‘this is home’.

“And every time I raced in the UK, whether it be Glasgow or Commies [Commonwealth Games] or Track Champions League, it would feel like a home crowd because I would have so many more supporters in the crowd, given all my family are still here in the UK.”

Originally published as Aussie Olympic medallist Matthew Richardson comes clean on defection to Great Britain